


Unwavering

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Unforgiven [11]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 18:11:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20493086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: To do anything, you need to take that first step.





	Unwavering

**Author's Note:**

> THE END. The party was basically to celebrate Damian and Tim healing and showing off the fixes to the apartment, but also a bit of an olive branch. The party was supposed to be for the literal actually-adopted/-family Batfam, but Cass decided the invitation implied a plus one and brought Steph. Not everything is perfect, and their relationships will rebuild over time, but Tim and Damian were just so thrilled all grievances were aired and they didn’t have that stress of anger/being alone anymore. Aka they love parties. Alfred arrived early and helped Tim and Damian make the pizzas. Damian remains living with Tim for the foreseeable future. Supplemental listening is ‘Don’t Give Up On Us Now’ by MENEW. Thanks for reading this series! I love you :3

Dick stared into the mirror, huffing out a sharp sigh as he straightened his jacket. Almost instantly, he heard a mocking snort behind him, and looked at the reflection over his own shoulder.

“It isn’t a date, you know.” Bruce hummed, leaned against the doorframe. He looked nice himself, similarly casual in jeans and a polo. “You don’t have to be so uptight.”

“It might as well be.” Dick mumbled. “And don’t lie, B. You’re nervous too.”

“Of course I am.” Bruce admitted freely, and that was almost surprising. “This is…important.”

“Understatement.” Dick huffed. He adjusted his jacket one more time, then turned to face Bruce. “You ready to go?”

Bruce nodded. “Waiting for you, son.”

~~

There was still the doorman at the building, but the security had grown two-fold since he was last here. Not surprising, after the recent (seemingly) random attack by Scarecrow on a few of the tenants.

It took just as long to get through the lobby as that first visit here. Checking of names and IDs at the front desk, a metal detector that was new – the whole shebang. There was even now men standing guard outside the elevators, who watched them intensely as they waited for the lift.

“…I didn’t want them to come back here.” Bruce hummed thoughtfully as the doors opened and they stepped inside. “Not so soon, anyway.”

“Alfred gave them the all clear.” Dick offered, though he agreed with Bruce.

“I told him not to.” Bruce pouted, looking at the various buttons for the different floors. He stabbed the one he wanted. “He knows they would have been safer at the manor.”

“Sure, just as he knows Tim gets flighty after a while, especially if he’s uncomfortable, or doesn’t want to be there in the first place.” Dick reminded. He paused then, glanced up at the screen near the ceiling, dinging with every floor they passed. “...We haven’t earned forgiveness yet, Bruce. You know that.”

“And he only wants what’s best for Damian, I know.” Bruce drawled. “I just…I’m impatient.”

“You miss them.” Dick corrected, putting a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “I know.” A sad smile. “I do too.”

Bruce peeked at him.

“But tonight is one step towards that forgiveness you and I don’t deserve.” Dick nodded as the elevator slowed to a stop, and the doors slowly rolled open. “I _hope_, anyway.”

The hallways was the same. Soft lit and lovely. Quiet, with an almost soothing wavy pattern of gold and black running along the carpet. Dark brown doors lined the hallways, their golden number glittering, almost judgmental, as they watched Dick and Bruce start down the corridor.

Dick’s heart was thumping, and he couldn’t help but nervously tap his finger against the inner lining of his jacket pocket as they moved. Bruce was stoic beside him, face stone, eyes blank – his own way of dealing with his emotions and fears.

Time seemed to slow, the closer they got to that turn, and Dick hated it. Just wanted to get this over with, wanted this agonizing feeling of anticipation to disappear.

He held his breath as they finally reached that corner, and turned to the right, to the door in the little hallway all its own. Held it as Bruce inhaled himself, and knocked on the door.

_Knock-knock-knock._

There was noise behind the door. Voices, maybe, or music. Too low to make out, and he was starting to get distracted by his quickening heartbeat, and his lungs begging for more air.

If they took any longer to open the door, they might open it to him passed out on the floor. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing. But he couldn’t take that breath, not just yet.

A moment later, there was the click of a lock, and the heavy door was pulled back. Sound exploded into the hall – both music and voices, with laughter mixed between.

But Dick didn’t quite hear it, too focused on the little boy who’d opened the door. Damian’s injuries from Crane were just shadows now for the most part, with the more serious ones hidden by his clothes. Though Dick could see the edge of the bandage still along his arm poking out of Damian’s sweatshirt sleeve, and his stomach sank.

But he couldn’t dwell on that, couldn’t dwell on the injuries and the attack and the past, not when Damian grinned excitedly up at them.

“Father.” Damian hummed, barely containing his giddiness. “Grayson.”

“…Son.” Bruce said, and Dick felt himself exhaling finally. “Good to see you.”

“And you.” Damian nodded. And it was amazing, that grin was almost bursting off his face. He glanced to the side, back into the apartment. “The drive over was well, I assume?”

Bruce smirked, let out a little snort. “Best drive I’ve ever had.”

Damian opened his mouth to say something, but was instantly cut off by Tim appearing at his side.

Tim looked between them, and to the surprise of all, gave his own bright smile.

“You’re late.” He scolded, but it was playful. “Jason was about to call the cops to report you missing.”

Bruce chuckled. “You could have started eating without us. We wouldn’t have minded.”

“But Damian would have.” Tim rolled his eyes, and gave Dick a knowing glance.

“It’s rude to begin a party before all your guests arrive.” Damian huffed, crossing his arms. “And Pennyworth agreed.”

There was a polite cough from inside the apartment that confirmed it.

“Thanks.” Dick smiled at Tim. Tim nodded, and shifted, tugging Damian back into the apartment and gesturing for Bruce and Dick to come in too. Bruce glanced to Dick, and Dick moved for him to go first. After another moment’s hesitation, Bruce did just that, all but trotting after Damian like a lost puppy.

As Bruce passed, Tim looked back to Dick expectantly.

And Dick found himself biting his lip. “Can I, uh…” Squeezed his fists in his pockets, laughed at himself for how ridiculous he was being. Tim waited patiently, hand on the door, ready to close it. “Can I give you a hug?”

Tim blinked in surprise, glanced back into the apartment. Then laughed, and let go of the door to open his arms.

Now there was no hesitation, no second thoughts. Dick stepped forward and enveloped his little brother in his arms.

And Tim didn’t hesitate either, returning the gesture instantly. Groaned a little, playfully, as Dick gave him a squeeze.

“Still have the injuries.” He grunted around another laugh.

“Sorry.” Dick mumbled into his shoulder, though didn’t lessen his grip any. “…Thanks for inviting me. Us.”

To Dick’s surprise, Tim quietly replied: “I’m glad you came.”

And all the nerves disappeared with those words. He held Tim for a moment more before leaning back to hold Tim’s face in his hands and kiss his forehead.

“Why do I feel like I’m twelve years old again, all of the sudden?” Tim mumbled. When Dick pulled back, he saw Tim’s face was red.

“Because to me you always will be, little brother.” Dick laughed, reaching up to ruffle Tim’s hair. Tim tried to push him off, but chuckled all the same.

And Dick didn’t miss the fact that Tim accepted the moniker. Didn’t frown or react in a way that said he didn’t _want_ to be called Dick’s little brother. Just kept that easy smile. And, maybe it was Dick’s own hopes and imagination, but…Tim’s shoulders seem to relax a little as he said it. His own stress and tension dissipating as Dick still referred to him as that. Still thought of him as that.

Brothers.

“Will you two hurry _up_?!” Jason shouted from the kitchen. They looked over to find him with his arms crossed, a beer bottle already in one hand. Cassandra and Stephanie sat at the kitchen’s island, Alfred behind them. But what caught Dick’s eye was Damian, leaning happily into Bruce’s side, Bruce’s arm gently around his shoulders. “_Some of us_ are starving.”

“Told you Jason was getting impatient.” Tim rolled his eyes, leading Dick towards the kitchen.

“You really could have eaten without us.” Dick tried, blowing Jason a kiss when the other flipped him the middle finger.

“It’s a…family party.” Tim reiterated, handing Dick a bottle of his own. “And…Damian’s right. You can’t start a family party with the whole family present.”

The implication of that statement wasn’t lost on Dick. Not on Bruce either, who tugged Damian closer into his side.

But if they were going to get any deeper into the idea, they were interrupted by Jason and Stephanie, both cheering loudly and grabbing for the first slices of pizza that were sitting on the counter.

Organized chaos ensued then, with talking and music all mixing together into a dull roar. Dick watched the scene gratefully, feeling his soul loosen and his heartbeat relax.

Ignored the tears in his eyes when Damian wandered from Bruce’s side to his.

And the party rolled on, everyone gouging on Alfred’s handmade pizza, soda and everything else unhealthy they could think of, just enjoying each other’s company and presence.

As they ate, Dick found himself watching Tim, as he showed Bruce the renovations and fortifications made on the loft since the attack. Watching his smile and happiness and comfort. Let his heart soar as Damian and Tim interacted, their bond seemingly impenetrable now, even with the always-changing emotional landscape around them.

“Hey…Tim?” Dick found himself asking, later in the evening. Probably at the most inopportune time, as Tim was chewing a bite of pizza.

Tim stopped midchew, looking over.

“This…is a good first step, right?”

And Dick didn’t need to elaborate what he meant. Didn’t have to explain that he meant for their relationship, their own bond. The one he thought, the last time he knocked on this door and was rejected, he could never rebuild, for the rest of time.

“A good start?”

Damian reappeared at his side, practically hugging him, asking him a question. A mindless one, something about Jason’s hair. But he didn’t answer it. Just wrapped his arm tightly around Damian’s shoulders, waiting for Tim to respond.

“Honestly?” Tim rumbled, food shoved into his cheek. Chewed for a second more, thinking about his words, then swallowed. Smacked his lips and gave a bright, happy, _Tim_ smile. “This is the best first step we could have hoped for, Dick.”


End file.
